Disclaimer: I don't own True Blood or any of its characters, only Chloe.

A/N: Holy spumoni, in my eager state I neglected to thank CavalierQueen, my uber awesome beta! She's a goddess to say the least! Sorry for almost forgetting to post this bit! *Is terribly embarrassed*

The Wind At My Back

Of all the places I thought I'd be heading, Louisiana was not one of them. I certainly didn't think I'd have any family residing there. Of course, my sister had no idea just how far her family extended. See, I was put up for adoption at birth, carted off to Canada and all but forgotten - that was my fate. No one in the southern U.S. could stand a dirty little secret, especially one as explosive as this one.

So here I was, shifting gears in my '67 cherry red Mustang convertible, something I'd spent years building up. Some of the parts I'd had to search all over the country for to get it just the way I wanted it. It was my most prized possession, and to be honest, I thought of it as an extension of myself. I'm sure there's some sort of fancy underlying psychological reasoning there, but I was content in knowing that I'd created something beautiful. I sped down the highway, my ebony hair whipping behind me. The car was my one indulgence over the years. I'm a simple girl. Some might even call me a tomboy, but I don't care. I mean, who cares if I prefer my hip huggers and t-shirts over prissy pumps and designer dresses? Besides, at five foot nine and a size fourteen, I looked a little ridiculous in Chanel. I just wasn't that kind of girl. I was more interested in travelling the open road, and my current venture allowed me to do just that. After all, Bon Temps was a long way from home, and I'd been driving for days. But I was intent upon finding my only known blood relatives. They were the only family I had left.

I spared a glance at the package lying on the passenger seat. It contained all the information I had about the Stackhouse family. I knew that Sookie Stackhouse worked at a bar called Merlotte's, and that she had a brother named Jason. The private investigator I'd hired was also able to dig up some other little tidbits. She was currently involved with a vampire named Bill Compton. I was surprised when I read that…A vampire? I could honestly say that I'd never encountered any. I knew full well that they existed. It's just that they didn't seem to show themselves in public. Maybe they weren't big fans of Canada, who knows? Regardless, the fact that Sookie was involved with one left me curious to say the least.

After another two hours I saw the dilapidated sign boasting my welcome to Bon Temps. Talk about your back water towns. I debated searching for a motel, but seeing as it was about time for dinner, I decided to head straight for Merlotte's. It was likely that Sookie would be working, and I was hoping to meet her sooner rather than later.

As I pulled up to the restaurant and bar, I killed the engine. I grabbed my PI's file just so I could back up the story I was about to reveal to Sookie. I hardly expected her to take me at my word. Several cars were in the parking lot, which surprised me, seeing as it was a Tuesday night. The place had sort of a honky-tonk feel to it, and I half expected to find the locals square dancing inside. I walked through the front door and did a cursory glance of the area. I saw Sookie almost immediately, her blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail. She wore a white t-shirt and black short-shorts, apparently Merlotte's uniform of choice. I was sure the men loved that little piece of local flavour. There was another waitress, an older woman with bottle-dyed red hair. With two waitresses working, I wasn't entirely sure which section Sookie was taking care of, so I wandered over to the bar. An attractive man in his thirties stood behind the bar, wearing a blue plaid flannel shirt and a pair of tight Levi's. I couldn't help but give a mental smirk that the dress code apparently didn't apply to him. His auburn hair was swept away from his eyes, and he sported a scruffy goatee. I'm sure all the ladies flocked to him. He smiled at me warmly. "Hi welcome to Merlotte's. What can I get for you?"

"I'll have a Coke, please," I replied. He filled a glass and handed it to me.

"You must be new in town," he ventured. "Where are you from?"

I took a sip of my Coke before answering. "Canada."

His dark blue eyes widened at this. "Canada? You're a long way from home, miss. May I ask what you're doin' way down here?"

"You can ask, but that doesn't mean I'll answer," I said coyly. I chuckled at his flushing cheeks. "I'm kidding. I'm here looking for someone. That girl over there, actually. Sookie Stackhouse."

The bartender tilted his head to one side, suddenly taking on a protective stance. "I don't think I got your name, Miss…?"

"Chloe. Chloe Levine." I said while extending my hand. The heat emanating from his fingers was incredibly intense, as though he'd dipped his hand in boiling water.

"The name's Sam Merlotte," he said. "I own this place. "If you'd like, I can have Sookie come over and chat with you during her break."

My smile widened. "I'd appreciate that Sam. And thanks for the Coke." He nodded and went back to tending his bar. As I continued to sip at my drink, I took in the various patrons of Merlotte's. Many were exactly what I'd expect of a small town community. Almost everyone had a beer in hand, and they were all gabbing about sports or the juiciest gossip. Several patrons glanced my way, but they minded their business for the most part. I found myself quite at ease in the bar. It had a homey feel, and I silently congratulated Sam on generating exactly the kind of atmosphere people would want to bask in after a long day at work. I was so wrapped up in my thoughts that I almost didn't notice Sookie approach.

"Hi there," the blonde said perkily. "I heard you were lookin' for me?" She had her hands on her hips, and her weight shifted from one foot to the other. I could tell that she was a tad nervous. I mentally compared the both of us. She was quite petite. She stood maybe five foot two, and she was stick thin standing next to me. She had the 'girl next door' look going for her, with her big brown eyes and honey blonde hair. I, on the other hand, had dark curly hair that was nearly impossible to tame. My eyes were slightly slanted and cerulean, which had always caused me to wonder about my origins. I wasn't skinny by any stretch of the imagination, and I practically towered over Sookie. All told, we looked nothing alike.

I cleared my throat. "Do you think we could sit down somewhere?" Sookie nodded and led me to an empty booth. We each took opposite sides of the booth. I took a deep breath. "My name is Chloe Levine. I'm from Aurora, a suburb in Toronto, Canada." Sookie's eyes widened. "About six months ago I received a letter. The letter was from a woman claiming to be my biological grandmother. It was to be delivered to me upon her death. It had information about my family. You see, I'm adopted, and I never knew anything about my biological parents." Sookie continued to watch me, though her brow was furrowed. "As it turns out, I have family in Bon Temps…" I sighed, running my fingers through my hair. "There's no easy way to tell you this…I'm your sister Sookie."

She gaped at me for several moments. "You're kiddin', right?"

"I'm afraid not. This isn't something I'd joke about. Listen, I don't expect you to accept me with open arms. In fact, I wouldn't blame you if you told me to piss off. I just wanted you to know that I existed." My gaze shifted to the table top to avoid Sookie's eyes.

"I-I'm really not sure what to say…Normally I'd be able to tell if you were lying, but for some reason…"

I quickly looked up, eyebrows raised. "How would you be able to tell if I was lying? Are you that good a judge of character?"

Sookie shook her head. She glanced from side to side, as if debating whether or not to explain. I guess she decided to divulge whatever information she was unsure of telling me. "No, it's not that…it's just…I have this…ability," she stuttered out.

Now it was my turn to look confused. "Ability?"

"Yeah, it's pretty common knowledge around here, so I suppose there's no harm in telling you. You'll probably think I'm nuts. I can hear what people are thinking." I blinked. "See? You think I'm crazy."

"No, I don't at all. I'm just surprised. I've never met a telepath before. So, if you can read my thoughts, you must know that I'm telling you the truth," I stated. It sounded logical in such an illogical situation.

"That's the thing…I can't hear what you're thinking."

I frowned and reached across the table, taking her hand in mine. "Please Sookie, you have to believe-" The world seemed to dissolve around us. Voices and images became blurred. My brain felt like it was pulsating, and my blood was on fire.

-Please, let her believe me. She's the only family I've got. Mom's dead, Dad took off with some whore…I'm so alone.—

-I don't know what to make of her. She just shows up out of nowhere, but she's got Gran's eyes…could it really be true?-

Both of our thoughts had melded, they seemed to roil around us at lightning speed. I felt both elated and nauseated. It was almost too much to handle. I could see myself in her mind's eye. I felt what she was experiencing: uncertainty, hope, distrust...

I also felt my powers increase a thousand-fold. The effect was intoxicating.

I released my hold on Sookie and snapped back to reality. Sookie was gaping at me once again. "Did you feel that?" she whispered. I nodded meekly. "I've never…shared a connection before. Chloe-I don't know what just happened, but I'm pretty sure you're telling me the truth. I need a bit more time to be sure..."

I nodded to show my understanding, my mind still reeling. "I thought you might. I brought you this file that I had a PI dig up about you, me, our family...I didn't believe it at first either. Why don't you read it and then decide?"

Sookie took the file from me. "Thanks. I'm still a bit shaky...Just now, I felt your pain, your honesty, your need…there's no way you could fake that. You said you received a note from your biological grandmother? That must've been from Gran. She died recently…she must've wanted us to find one another. If all of that is in this file, I think I'd be hard pressed not to believe you."

"That's exactly what I was thinking. Cripes, I never thought I had a sister…" I murmured.

"You have a brother too," Sookie chipped in. "And even though he's as dumb as a bag of hair, he's a sweet guy." She glanced around before her gaze settled on me again. "About that whole mind reading thing…"

"Yes?"

Sookie shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "Well…what just happened never happened before. You must have some sort of supernatural ability. Is it like my telepathy, only different?"

I stiffened immediately. "That's probably something we should discuss in private."

She nodded. "Fair enough. We're just about to close up. Why don't you wait out front and we can head to my house? I'll be able to read this file there, and we can talk."

"Sounds like a plan. By the way, you wouldn't happen to know of any good motels in the area, would you? I came straight here and haven't found a place to stay yet."

Sookie waved her hand dismissively. "Nonsense, you'll stay with me. At least until we can find you an actual home. I have plenty of room."

I felt a blush rising up to my cheeks. No one had ever shown me such hospitality. "I-thank you Sookie. I appreciate it. I'll wait for you out front. My car is the Mustang convertible."

She whistled softly. "Wait 'til Jason gets an eyeful of that. You'll be his new best friend," she said playfully.

The next half hour seemed to crawl by at a snail's pace. I sat in my car and flipped through the different radio stations. Most of the music was country, and I stuck out my tongue in disgust. I finally managed to find a classic rock station and began to sing along to Kashmir. I was so busy getting the Led out that I almost didn't hear the shouts coming from behind the building.

"Now you let me go, Jessie Plitz, or I'll be sure to tell your mama just how badly you're behavin'!" came Sookie's cry of outrage. I leapt out of my car and ran across the parking lot, rounding the corner coming face to face with Sookie surrounded by four men. To say I was pissed is an understatement. One of them had grabbed Sookie roughly and pulled her toward him. They were obviously intoxicated.

"What, humans aren't good enough for ya, ya goddamn fangbanger?" taunted the goon that held Sookie to his chest.

I felt the anger bubbling up in the pit of my stomach. I positively hated redneck assholes. "What seems to be the problem, boys?" I asked while folding my arms over my chest. My voice was cold and if they hadn't been so drunk they would have heard the dangerous edge in it.

"Ain't no problem, Yankee bitch. Just teachin' this whore a lesson in manners. She should learn to stick to her own kind!" spat one of the other hooligans.

"First of all asshole, I'm not a Yankee. Sorry to disappoint. Secondly, I suggest you apologize to Sookie. She doesn't deserve such treatment. I'm pretty sure her significant other wouldn't approve of the way you're manhandling her."

Goon number three strode up to me, his eyes glazed over from his recent bender. "You should mind your business, you dumb cow."

I didn't feel the pain at first, only the slight pressure of a backhand against my face. My head whipped to one side, and my mouth filled with blood. Great, busted lips hurt like a sonofabitch. I spat out blood and I heard his mocking laughter. I glanced up and saw that the other inbred hicks had wrestled Sookie to the ground and starting to tear at her clothes. I heard the distinct sound of her shirt ripping. They alternated between spitting and kicking her. The pig that had backhanded me was readying himself for another assault on me.

My bloodied lips pulled back from my teeth in a feral grin. "Big mistake," I hissed. I held up a hand and muttered a single word. "Excrucio!" The man immediately doubled over, his arms held against his stomach. He crumpled to the ground, convulsing. I could feel the atmosphere around me begin to crackle. The power was flowing through me, and boy did I feel great. I strode over to Sookie, my eyes wide with malice and unrelenting fury. I held out both hands to channel the full effect of my power. "Fracta!" I bellowed. The three men beating Sookie keeled over. Their limbs began to twist into odd angles. They were all crying out in pain, but I didn't hear them, didn't see them. All I saw was Sookie's bruised and broken form. I knelt down, holding her in my arms.

"Chloe," she whispered, a trickle of blood running down the corner of her mouth. She coughed, sputtering a mouthful of blood. "What-how did you-? The air...it's glowing..."

I ran my fingers through her hair soothingly. "Shhh. It will be all better soon," I said softly. Suddenly, a dark haired vampire was by our side, and he gazed down at Sookie, his face twisted with fury.

"What happened to her?" he demanded. Based on the pictures I'd seen, I could only assume that this was the infamous Bill Compton. He was late to the party. I was tempted to hex him just for taking so damn long.

"She was attacked," I replied calmly, trying to regain control after wielding my power. "She is in need of healing." I watched as he brought his wrist to his lips, obviously preparing to let her feed from him.

"No!" I growled. "She has enough of your blood running through her."

His fangs were distended and he glared down at me. "You would leave her to die? Just who are you anyway?"

I ignored him and instead cradled her head in my hands, a soft blue light emanating from my fingertips. The intense atmosphere surrounding us had become tranquil. Such was the way with magic. The elements shifted based on the intent of the spell.

"Sanare…" Sookie began to cough up more blood, but I could feel her flesh and bones begin to knit beneath my warm touch. Before long she was gazing up at me, her eyes wide with wonder.

"What are you?" she whispered in shock.

"I was about to ask the same thing," Bill muttered, his voice dripping with suspicion.

I helped Sookie to her feet. She watched, horrified, as her attackers continued to writhe in pain upon the ground. "Are they gonna die?" she asked.

I shrugged a shoulder. "No, they'll live. The effects are temporary. I only wanted to incapacitate, not kill."

"You are a witch?" Bill asked. It actually sounded more like a statement.

"No," I shook my head, this was a common misconception. "Witches draw upon outside elements. My power comes from within. I use incantations to properly channel my energies. The magic I have at my disposal can be overwhelming, so it's important that I always maintain control."

"But you didn't answer our question," Sookie persisted. "What are you?"

I felt the familiar blush colouring my cheeks. "Well, I'm a person…that happens to be a mage."

Bill stiffened. "That is…unexpected. Mages are rare." He turned to Sookie. "We will need to bring her to see Eric. He needs to know of all supernatural beings in his area."

I raised my eyebrows. "Who's Eric? And why do I have to see him? I'd kind of hoped to stay under the radar."

"He is the Sheriff of our Area, Area Five to be exact. He likes to be apprised of any supernatural beings that take up residence in his area. Mostly it's to reassure him that you don't pose a threat to the other vampires in the area. If he found out about you...he might become hostile. He's very protective," Bill explained.

"I suppose that's fair, just as long as you don't announce my...nature...to the world. Is he at least nice?" I asked hopefully.

Sookie avoided my gaze. "He's helped me out of some tight spots. He may not be the friendliest guy...but...he's fair." She turned to Bill. "Bill, I'm afraid in all the hubbub, I forgot to introduce you.. This is Chloe Levine. Chloe, this is my boyfriend, Bill Compton."

I held out my hand. "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Compton." He grasped my hand, and it was cool to the touch, the polar opposite to Sam Merlotte's. Sookie leaned over to me.

"Just so you know, vamps normally don't shake hands, Bill's just a gentleman," she smiled indulgently.

"Oh, good to know," I replied.

"Anyway," Sookie continued, "Chloe might be my sister. Apparently Gran had a letter sent to her upon her death.. Chloe'll be staying with me for the time being, until we sort all this out."

Bill's arm fell to his side. "A sister? Sookie, this is wonderful news. It seems supernatural abilities run in your family...with the exception of Jason of course." Sookie laughed. "Regardless, we should head to Fangtasia immediately."

"Fangtasia?" I raised an eyebrow.

Sookie rolled her eyes. "That's the name of Eric's vampire bar." I let loose a bark of laughter. Sookie grinned. "Don't let him hear you laugh about it. He's liable to tear your face off."

I folded my arms over my chest, my chin jutting out defiantly. "I'd like to see him try."

Sookie rested a hand on my shoulder, and I could feel her apprehension. "Be careful with him. I don't think he'll try anything...but just...be good?"

"Alright, alright," I said while holding my hands up in supplication. "Should I get changed? I imagine I'm pretty underdressed." I motioned to my weathered Tool t-shirt and worn, form fitting jeans.

Bill gave me a once over. "Normally I would say yes…but you bear a striking resemblance to one of his former…interests, a girlfriend from a long time ago. If we dress you up too nicely, he's likely to do one of two things – ask you to leave the club immediately, or claim you as his own. With the way you're dressed right now, it is doubtful that he'll even notice, much less care."

I pursed my lips together, mildly insulted by his comment about my current attire. "Okay, whatever you say." I swept an arm toward my car. "Shall we?"

As we all piled into my Mustang, Sookie cast one last glance over to our attackers. "Are you going to just leave them like that?"

I chuckled softly, my lips quirking up into a smirk. "They'll snap out of it…eventually." I gunned the engine and followed Bill's directions to Shreveport.

TBC